This invention relates to a multiple-needle tufting machine, and more particularly to a looper apparatus for a fine gauge, in-line tufting machine.
The conventional hook bars for multiple-needle tufting machines are long bars extending transversely of the machine below the needles and the base fabric. A conventional cut-pile hook bar has uniformly spaced slots in its front face for receiving the hooks which cooperate with the needles to form loops in the yarns carried by the needles. For a narrow gauge, multiple-needle tufting machine, the slots in the front face of the hook bar must be formed close together. The closeness of the spacing of the looper slots is limited by the thinness of the walls between the slots. Conventional loopers or hooks are held in their respective slots by individual set screws which are threaded into each slot and engage the opposed walls of the slots. Thus, the thinness of the walls is further limited by the diameters of the set screws.
One solution to spacing the looper slots closer together for narrow gauge tufting machines is disclosed in the prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,635,177, issued to Larry P. Gable, et al. for NARROW GAUGE HOOK BAR FOR TUFTING MACHINE on Jan. 18, 1972. The Gable patent discloses a hook bar having uniformly spaced, but staggered, looper slots formed alternately in the front and rear faces of the hook bar. Thus, the staggered front and rear slots receive two transverse rows of staggered hooks or loopers for cooperation with corresponding staggered needles. However, the hook bar disclosed in the Gable patent was primarily designed for a looper apparatus for forming narrow gauge loop pile.
Another solution to spacing the slots close together for narrow gauge tufting machine is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,270 of Hoyt E. Short for "NARROW GAUGE CUT PILE TUFTING APPARATUS" in which the needles are staggered and the loopers are made quite thin and flexible for bending and veering around each of the corresponding staggered needles.
A further solution to the spacing of the loopers and slots in narrow gauge machines is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,158,339 of Hoyt E. Short, issued June 19, 1979, for "NARROW GAUGE CUT PILE LOOPER APPARATUS." In this narrow gauge cut-pile tufting machine, the needles are staggered and the slots are formed in the front and rear faces of the hook bar. However, the slots are designed to extend along the top of the hook bar and to receive and reinforce the elongated body portions of the specifically constructed looper hooks.